Essay Story Starters

Story starters can help you with one of the biggest problems a writer has to face – getting started.

Motivating ourselves to sit down in a quiet place with just our thoughts for company can be very challenging,

ARE YOU STUCK FOR IDEAS?

There are betters ways of meeting the challenge of getting started than staring at a blank screen waiting for inspiration.

Waiting for inspiration never works but using story starters means you can start right away.

First try organizing your writing life.

Making appointments with yourself in your diary and keeping those appointments religiously is one of the best ways to start the writing habit.

You are teaching yourself winning habits by doing this.

You’ll soon find that if you keep these appointments and show up at the page on a regular basis you will reap the rewards.

If you have a problem finding time to write try these time management tips.

Unsuccessful writers are those who think they can just write now and again and still produce a great piece of writing.

Successful writing takes times and practice.

Successful writers are those who are true to themselves and respect their emerging talent by writing, writing and more writing.

How do we face the blank page?

STORY STARTERS, EXERCISES AND PROMPTS

Story starters, exercises and prompts are all part of the same thing – they are pieces of information, maybe one or two sentences, or a paragraph, designed specifically to help you find an opening into a story.

If you want to try some more detailed creative writing exercises click right here now.

These starters or prompts stimulate your brain, get you thinking and allow your imagination to find the story you want to write.

The best story starters are visual. They allow you to paint a picture in your mind.

I have seen students literally gasp as they realize that they are not only writing without stopping to think, but their words are flowing freely, without pause – because they used a story starter.

The best thing about using a story starter to get you writing is that you can ditch it quite easily and simply try another one if it is not working out.

STORY STARTERS

Write without stopping to think. Just write whatever comes to mind and follow your imagination.

He looked into the distance. There was smoke coming out of a chimney.

The envelope looked as though it had been in the post for years. The writing was faded.

She looked down into the sea. The seagulls were just white dots from that height.

He picked up the key and slipped it into his pocket, sure nobody had seen him.

She was changing. There was no doubt about that.

A tidy garden and a freshly painted door made the house look welcoming and cared for.

There was doubt in her face. He could see she didn’t trust him.

In panic she ran towards the road, dropping her bag on the way.

The sudden movement of the bus jolted her awake. She wasn’t sure where she was.

He bent over to catch his breath and stretch his back. At that moment he decided to face it. He was tired of running.

She reached into the box. Everything depended on the number she picked out.

There seemed to be a small building in the field to his left. Grey and crumbling bricks dotted the garden. The broken door told a story.

I hope you had fun with these story starters. If you did click here to try more.

Remember that writing is not like school where the teacher set the subject of an essay and you had to write about it whether you liked it or not.

You don’t have to write to please others – this is all about writing to please you.

So don’t slog away at something that you are not enjoying.

Find something that makes you really want to sit down and write, and more importantly find yourself a story that compels to return to it.

Lastly, I know I am repeating myself, but please remember the importance of writing regularly.

If you really are really serious about being a writer then you must write as often as you can because as far as I know the writing fairy is all booked up!

Best of luck with your writing.

Grace

P.S. I love encouraging others to write and all the information, exercises and tips on this site are provided free of charge.

All I ask in return is that you like, share, or comment. Let me know how you are getting on with your writing. I love hearing from writers and I always reply to comments.

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With these new creative writing story starters, students will enjoy 56 fun boosts of creativity. Each story starter gives students a starting point from which they can take any number of directions. They’ll think about what they would do if they found $1000 on the ground or what would happen if one of their best friends was elected President.

For extra fun, encourage students to share their stories with one another after writing. They’ll be amazed to see how many different ideas they came up with from the same short story starter! Promote imagination and adventure with these new journal prompts and creative writing story starters. Regardless of whether they write silly, scary, or serious stories, students will love the chance to write something unique!

Daily writing offers many benefits to students, but the ability to explore new worlds is undoubtedly one of the most important. So put these creative writing story starters on double duty and use them as journal prompts for kids as well! Whether they’re writing creatively or considering a topic of personal reflection, journaling improves critical thinking skills and encourages imagination.

When students write on a regular basis, they gain more confidence in their schoolwork and in their own ideas. Journaling is a powerful way to empower your students both inside and outside of the classroom.

Creative Writing Story Starters

You become a character in your favorite video game, and…

Your grandma comes to town and brings an unexpected surprise…

You are an astronaut who finds something strange on the moon…

Your parents tell you that you’re moving across the country.

An alien comes to Earth, and…

At the beach, you find a special seashell…

At summer camp, the boys and girls wage a prank war against one another.

Every time a dog barks, something unusual happens…

You learn that you are heir to a throne…

At the library, you find a photo in a book.

The last seconds on the clock are ticking, and the ball is in your hands. What happens next?

You get stuck in an elevator with…

In the backyard, your dog finds a mysterious necklace…

Your best friend is elected President.

At the mall, you walk by a mannequin that looks just like you. Something odd is happening…

You find an old photo of your grandmother, and see that she was a famous actress…

You receive a letter in the mail saying that you’ve won $10,000. What do you do?

Your favorite athlete shows up at one of your games—but as a player on the other team!

Your bicycle runs away from home. How do you find it?

You discover a magic button that will…

You suspect the school library might be haunted…

You come home to find your cat eating a bowl of ice cream. What happens next?

You win a contest on the radio for…

Three kids get locked in the mall. What do they decide to do?

You travel to the prairie and see…

You switch places for a day with your favorite celebrity.

You’re a race car driver with an embarrassing secret.

Your favorite singer agrees to perform an exclusive show in your basement.

You come home from school to find a box on your porch. What’s inside?

At your birthday party, you receive a very special present…

Your luggage gets lost at the airport and you accidentally open the wrong bag.

Your class gets snowed in at school. What do you do?

You show up at school, but you can’t remember where of your classes are or who anyone is.

You switch places for a day with your dad.

In the back of your closet, you find a basketball jersey…

You find out that your teacher used to be…

The pizza delivery person brings you something you didn’t order. What is it?

You find $1000 on the ground, and…

Your family wins the lottery.

You discover your parents are spies…

You become the youngest person ever to set a world record for…

You and your best friend end up on the set of your favorite TV show. What happens?

You take a ride on a tornado, and…

You run into some trouble while camping…

There is a magic swing at the park that will take you to…

The power goes out, and you’re home alone…

One day, there is a very strange weather report that says…

Everywhere you go, you keep hearing a song that no one else can hear…

You find a map leading to buried treasure, but it’s buried under the principal’s house!

You hear an ad on the radio for a magic product that will…

You stumble upon a cure for __________. What do you do with it?

On Christmas Eve, you hear a strange noise on the roof…

You’re in the school play and worried about forgetting your lines.

You get home from the zoo and find a baby monkey in your trunk! What do you do?